Tractor attachment for vehicles.



. J. H. SMITH.

TRACTOR ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1911.

Patentd Apr. 16, 1918.

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JGHIT SMITH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOE OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM GOATMAN, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TRACTOR ATTACHMENT FOB VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. M6, 191%.

Application filed May 14, 1917. Serial No. 168,410.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. SMITH, a citizen oi the nited States, residing at the city of Los jsugeles, in the county of Los AngQlt-S and State of California. have invented new and useful Improvements in Tractor Attacluuents for Vehicles, of which the following is a specifichtion.

Mvinvention relates primarily to an attachment for heavy vehicles such as motor trucks and the like (although it may be adapted for use with any type oi? vehicle) for use when it is desired to travel over or across soft or sandy roads oruneven ground.

l lereto tore vehicles. particularly trucks used for heavy hauling it has frequently happened that when passing over uneven or soft roadbeds the vehicle became stalled owing to the lack of traction between the wheels and the roadbed resulting in a considerable loss of time, inconvenience and damage both to the vehicle and the roadbed.

It is the obje'ct of my invention to provide an attachment which will obviate the above detects and which will be cheap in construction and simple and cfiicient in operation and which can be easily and quickly attached to or detached from a vehicle without altering the same.

A. further object is to provide an attachment for self propelled vehicles whereby the same may be used in the preparation of ground in *cultivation such as plowing, harrowing and the like.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

I accomplish these objects by the device described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a top plan of my attachment with a fragment of the rear end of a truck attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of one or" the tractor wheels from the inner side.

Fig. 3 is a section on the-line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. i is a 2. inferring to the drawings my'device comprises two duplicate side members connected together at their ends in spaced relation by cross shafts and as these side members are section on the line H of duplicates one only will he described, that in the use of motor propelled ported by drums 5 being sutlicient for the proper understanding oi my lnventio'n.

are provided at their free ends with collars 12 and 13 which serve to retain wheels 5 and (i in position thereon. Cross shafts 14 and 15 have their ends 16 reduced and these reduced ends are mounted in hollow sleeves 7 and 8, the said reduced ends being of sufiicient length to project through said sleeves and have mounted thereon at the ends a retaining collar 17 by a pin 19, which collar serves to retain said reduced ends in position within said sleeves. Sprocket chains 20 and .21 are mounted to pass around and be supand 6 and have secured on the outer. faces thereof a plurality of shoes 22 which shoes form the tread. sprocket wheel 23 is rcvolubly mounted on shaft 23 mounted in a bearing 24 in side bar 11 intermediate the ends thereof and the teeth of said sprocket wheel engage chains 20 and 21 as hereafter explained. Extend ing outwardly from the side of sprocket wheel 23 are arms 25, of which I have shown four, which arms terminate in bearings 26 provided with removable caps 27. The outerperiphery of bearings 26 and caps 27 are circular as best shown in Fig. .2, and are of a diameter to just fit within the run or fellv of the vehicle wheels 28 when the device is in aposition of use In the use of my device the bearings will. be positioned within the felly of the vehicle with a spoke of the vehicle wheel 28 in each bearing. Caps 2? will then be placed in position and secured, thus connecting the sprockets to the wheels 28 of the vehicle, it being understood that. the tractor is of a diameter sufiioient to raise the vehicle wheel out of contactwith the ground and that the vehicle Will be jacked up while the device is being positioned.

In positionin my device, one side tractor member will first be positioned and its sprocket connected. to one of the driving Wheels 28 of the vehicle. The shafts M are then positioned beneath the body of the vehicle with one end positioned in sleeves 7' and 8 and securedtherein.

The other side tractor member is then .po-

2 eeann? sitioned in like manner and the device is then ready for use.

Having described my invention What 1 claim is 1. A tractor attachment for vehicles comprising duplicate tractor n'ieinbers mounted, one at each side of the VGhlClB; each of said members comprising a side bar extending longitudinally of the vehicle said bar being positioned with its longitudinal center in re 'ister with the center of the rear wheel of the vehicle; a drum revolubly mounted at each end oi said bar; a sprocket wheel revolubly mounted centrally oi? said bar adapted to be removably secured the vehicle wheel concentrically therewith; endless sprocket chain passing around said drums and engaging said sprocl'cet wheel, said drums and wheel being larger in diameter than the re iicle wheel whereby the vehicle wheel is supported out of contact with the ground; a plurality of tread blocks secured upon the outer face of said chain; and a cross liar connecting the ends of said side I bars W Y 52. A tract-or attachment tor vehicles compris y duplicate tractor members mounted, one at each side, on. the vehicle, each of said members comprising a side bar extending longitudinally of the vehicle, hers being positioned with their longitudinal centers registering with the centers of the rear Wheels or the vehicle; connecting rods connecting said side bars at the ends thereof; a drum having a pair of spaced. cireumfer ential grooves therein revoluhly mounted on each of the ends of said connecting rods; pair of. int L l sprocket wheels revoluhly mounted centrally of each of said side bars in alinement with the grooves of the drums adapted to be secured to the rear wheels of the vehicle; a pair of endless sprocket chains passing around the drums of each side member, within the grooves, and engaging the teeth of their respective sprocket wheels, said drums and sprockets being of a diameter sutiicient to hold the rear Wheels suspended from contact with the ground when positioned for use; and a plurality of tread blocks mounted on said chains and connecting each pair thereof.

3. A tractor attachment for vehicles comprising two endless sprocket chains mounted one at each side of said vehicle at the rear end thereof, said chains being so positioned that the longitudinal centers thereof coincide or register with the centers of the rear wheels of vehicle; supporting wheels for said chains spaced apart longitudimilly of the vehicle around Wh'th said chains supporting axles for said wheels extending JOHN H. 

